Friction hinge



July 1 7, 1934. w. .1. SORROW, JR

FRICTION HINGE Filed Jan. 29, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l gwuentoz Wei/fer J JorrawJz July 17, 1934. w. J. soRRow, JR

FRICTION HINGE Filed Jan. 29, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwuehtoz Patented July 17, I934 uni-r an srArEs eareur qrrres FRICTION HINGE Walter J; Sorrow, J r., New Britain; Conn, assignor to The Stanley Works, New Britain; Gonn., a; corporation of Connecticut Application January 29, 1'931,.S'erial"N0. 51.1;984'

6 Claims.

proved arrangement is peculiarly adaptable to suchuse.

The aim of the present invention is to-provide an improved hinge having various features of noveltyv and'advantage and which is particularly characterized by the fact that it will prevent the seat and the cover from slamming to closed positions, thus avoiding the annoyance and embarrassment which would otherwise result from the noise incident to such closing. The constructionof my improved hinge is such that the seat and-cover cannot be easily and deliberately opened'and closedwith suchrapid movement as tov cause jars and-noise when they are brought'totheir extreme; positions, and e the members, after they are started on their downward movements,

and then released, will slowly continue their downward movements and come to rest with substantially no noise. My improved hinge is further such that, while'slamming of the members and the resultant noise andv embarrassment are avoided, the seat and cover. may be raised-and lowered with'little effort and, in fact, with an efio-rt onlyslig-h-tly greater'than that which would begrequ-ired if these members were free swinging. A- further aim ofgthe invention is to provide a hinge of this sortwhich is simple in construction, which: isv provided with means of a practical, durable? and'effective nature for. exerting frictional .iorces on the seat and cover, which is effective in; operation; and which maybe easily as sei bled and adjusted.

Other objects willbe; in part obvious, andin part pointed out'morein,detailhereinafter.

The-inventionaccordingly consists in the features ofccnstruction,, combination of elements, and arrangement of; parts which will be exemplified-in the. constructionhereinafterset forth andthe'scope ofth'e application ,of which willjbeindicated :inthe: appended claims.

in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown, for. ilhistrativepurposes, one ofthe many embodiments which the present; invention may take,

l is a top plan view of improved hinge applied to the: seat and cover of a; toilet;

Fig. 2 is anelevationalview looking at the rear end of the assembly shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational View of the assembly; Fig. 4. is a side elevational View of one of the reference may beyhad toa toilet seat, as my im-- posts inwhich a frictional=element is mounted; and

Fig. 5.-is-atransvers e sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawingsin detail, A denotes the cover and B the seat of a toilet. These members may be of any suitable construction and made of. any desired material. At their rear ends, they have rectangular extensions A and B, respectively, each provided withflat side faces.

The numeral=l0-designatesjposts adapted to be suitablysecured-to the toilet bowl. For example, each of' these posts may have a threaded stem 11 adapted-to'extendathrough a verticalopening at the-rear-end of thebowlinot shown) and clamped ofwhichmay be roughened;-for example, it may be provided with transverse'teeth or corrugations 14. Located in;the.= opening-- in eachhead, and held against rotation therein by the teeth 14, is a slightly; compressible friction memberv 15 which ispreferably made ofWood-inipregnated with a lubricating material,=,such as oil. Each friction member, in the: form of an-apertured washer or dish, isslightly thicker: than :the head 13 so that thefriction member extends slightly to each side of this h83,d,"8;S'-ShOWI1Ti1OSt clearly in Fig. 5.

The extension B of the seat is; positioned be-- tween the heads, andit has at each=side a bearing: memberZO, whichishere shown as beingin the form-of around washer, preferably formed 0f: brass. These washersn ay be considered as constitutinghingeleaves. They are connected to thesseat sons to turntherewith, andto this end each washer may have rivetedto it two studs ZL-Whichengagein recesses 22 in the seat; The outer'faces-of these Washers or hinge lea es bear against the'opposedsurfaces of the friction elements 15; The seat has a through opening in which may be-fitted atube 23. which, in length, is substantially equal tothewidth of the pro jection B. Ifdesired, this tube may be omitted. The numeral 24 designates a pin extending through and fitting in the central openings of the friction members 15 so as to be supported thereby. The opposite ends of this pin or spindle are threaded soas to receive nuts 25. The Washers or hinge leaves-2 0 have central openings throughiwhich the pin 24- extends so that these Washers, together with the toilet seat, are journalled on and may swing about the pin as an axis. Carried by the cover at each side of the extension A" is a hinge leaf 30. These hinge leaves may be secured to the cover in any suitable manner, as by means of studs 31 similar to the studs 21. The hinge leaves 30 depend from the cover, and each engages against the outer face of a respective friction member 15. The leaves 30 have openings 32 which closely surround the pin 24 so that the leaves have a bearing on and may swing about this pin.

The manner in which the parts are assembled is shown most clearly in Fig. 5. After the parts have been assembled, the frictional engagement between each frictional member and the respective hinge leaves and may be nicely and quickly adjusted by merely turning the nuts 25 relative to the pin 24.

It will be observed that the parts are tied together by the pin 24 and the nuts 25, and the frictional engagements between the friction elements and the hinge leaves are all simultaneously adjusted, thus facilitating the setting up of the device and imparting simplicity thereto. The seat and the hinge have independent movements so that one may be raised or lowered without affecting the position of the other. The parts are so adjusted that each, the cover and the seat, is retarded in its swinging movement by the frictional elements, and the friction between the leaves and the friction elements is such as to permit of the seat and hinge to be swung open and closed without the expenditure of much effort. When either the seat or the cover is swung forwardly from its open position slightly past dead center and then released, it will continue to swing downwardly with a slow, steady, easy movement so that it will come lightly to rest without any annoying jars or bangs.- It may further be stated that the frictional elements are made of such material as to require no subsequent lubrication; frequent adjustments are not necessary; and wear on these elements over long periods of time is practically negligible; in short, they have a long, useful life.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a pair of fixed frictional elements each having a pair of parallel surfaces, one at each end, a single pin extending through said frictional elements, a pair of hinge leaves adapted to be connected to a first swinging member and respectively engaging the opposed faces of said frictional elements, a pair of hinge leaves adapted to be connected to a second swinging member and respectively engaging the extreme surfaces of said frictional elements, and means associated with said pin for adjusting the friction between said leaves and elements.

2. In combination, a pair of posts each having a ringlike head and each head having an opening the wall of which is serrated, a solid, slightly compressible friction washer located in each head and held against movement relative thereto by said serrations, a swinging member having a portion located between said posts and provided with surfaces respectively engaging the opposed faces of said friction washers, a second swinging member, a pair of hinge leaves secured thereto and respec tively engaging the extreme faces of said friction washers, a pin extending through said hinge leaves and said portion of said first swinging member and through openings in said friction washer, and nuts on said pin adapted to engage against the outer faces of said hinge leaves.

3. In combination, a pair of posts, a compressible washer fixedly carried by each post, said washers being provided with aligned apertures, a swinging member having an opening, a tube in said opening, hinge leaves secured to said swinging member and respectively engaging the opposed faces of said compressible washers, a second swinging member, a pair of hinge leaves secured thereto and respectively engaging the extreme faces of said washers, a pin extending through said leaves, tube, and washers, and nuts on said pin.

4. A friction hinge for a toilet seat and cover, comprising a pair of hinge leaves adapted to be secured to the seat at opposite sides thereof, a second pair of hinge leaves adapted to be secured to the cover at the opposite sides thereof, the seat and cover hinge leaves being disposed in registering and spaced apart relation at opposite sides of the seat and cover, stationary supports projecting between the registering hinge leaves, a friction device carried by each stationary sup port, and a common adjusting means for simultaneously and equally binding the registering hinge leaves against the opposite sides of their respective friction devices to equalize the tension on the hinge leaves at opposite sides of the seat and cover.

5. In a friction hinge, the combination of spaced apart pairs of hinge leaves adapted for attachment to separate elements to be hinged and with the adjacent leaves of each pair disposed in spaced apart relation and with all of the hinge leaves in axial register, a stationary friction device disposed in line with the hinge leaves and between the respective leaves of each pair, abutment means disposed between the inner adjacent hinge leaves, and compression means operable against the outer hinge leaves for compressing the same against the friction devices to equalize the pressure upon both friction devices and equalize the resistance to movement of the hinge leaves of each pair.

6. In combination, a pair of posts, a friction washer fixedly carried by each post, a swinging member having a portion located between said posts and provided with surfaces respectively en-- gaging the opposed faces of said friction washers, a second swinging member, a pair of hinge leaves secured to the latter andrespectively engaging the extreme faces of said fixed friction washers, a single pin extending through said hinge leaves and said portion of said first mentioned member and through openings in said friction washers, said pin being supported by said washers, and means on the pin for adjusting the friction between said leaves and friction washers.

WALTER J. SORROW, JR. 

